Greetings Jackets fans! Can you smell it in the air that the playoffs are here? In the CHL, all three leagues are getting started; plus the fun that is the NCAA tournament is getting underway next week. So let’s take a look at last week’s action.

Starting off in Springfield, a quick signing note: the Falcons added Alex Aleardi on an ATO after he completed his OHL career. Aleardi put up a career high 71 points (27-44-71 in 67GP) this season splitting it between Plymouth and Windsor. In his five year career, Alex picked up 227 points in 321 games.

The Falcons would bounce back after a rough week last week going 3-1 with the three newest Falcons picking up their first points with the team. On Sunday, the Falcons would fall to the Connecticut Whale 3-2 with Matthew Ford picking up his first goal with the Falcons when he backhand a Michael Chaput rebound for his fifth of the season. The Whale would score three times before Ryan Russell would score his eighth of the season when Ryan Craig would find him in front. Curtis McElhinney would make 15 saves in the loss.

Wednesday night it was the Manchester Monarchs coming to town and multiple milestones would be reached. In the first period, Thomas Larkin would pick up his first pro point when off a faceoff, he fired a slapshot past Martin Jones to make it 1-0 Falcons. Andrew Joudrey would make it 2-0 when Monarchs goalie Martin Jones would play the puck getting it to Linden Vey who mishandled it in front and Joudrey would tap it in for his seventh of the season. Curtis McElhinney would make 25 saves setting a new franchise record with his ninth shutout of the season breaking Manny Legace’s record of eight. The nine shutouts is the most by any goalie in Springfield since Marcel Paille did it in 1969-1970.

Friday night the Worchester Sharks would come to town and the Falcons would take an EARLY lead off the opening faceoff when Nick Holden would dump the puck in and a Sharks Dman must’ve thought icing was going to be called cause he pretty much gave up on it. Spencer Machacek would find Sean Collins in front for his eighth of the season. In the second period Sean Collins would lead the rush when he passed the puck to Ryan Craig who’d find Nick Holden at the point. Nick blasted a shot past the Sharks goalie for his sixth of the season. The Sharks would score in the third to make it 2-1. Curtis McElhinney would make 25 saves in the win. Saturday the Birds traveled to Bridgeport for a game with the Sound Tigers. Trent Vogelhuber would pick up the Falcons first and third goals with the third goal being shorthanded. Nick Holden would make it 2-1 when he fired a blast setting a new career high with his seventh of the season. The Tigers would storm back forcing overtime then a shootout. After Michael Chaput and JAM missed, Nick Drazenovic, Cody Goloubef and Andrew Joudrey scored to clinch the victory. Curtis McElhinney would make 36 saves in the game also stopping three of five in the shootout for his 100th AHL win. On the week there would be a three way tie with Nick Holden, Andrew Joudrey and Trent Vogelhuber all having three points. Vogelhuber and Holden had two goals. Other Falcons with multiple points included Ryan Craig with two assists and Sean Collins had a goal and an assist in the game before he was recalled.

In Evansville, the IceMen’s season is slowly coming to a close with the team going 0-4 last week and three game remaining. On Sunday, Evansville lost to Fort Wayne 8-5 with Oliver Gabriel picking up his second multi-point game of the season when he scored his third goal of the season also adding an assist. Wednesday night, Austin Madaisky would return to the lineup for the first time since November. In the loss, both Austin and Oliver would be held scoreless. Friday night against Reading, both would be held scoreless again. Saturday night against Kalamazoo, Oliver would pick up his fourth assist of the season on Evansville’s first goal which was also Daniel Tetrault’s 14h of the season. After the Wings would score four straight, Austin would score his second of the season with only two seconds left in the second to make it 4-2. After the game Austin tweeted that he was on his way back to Springfield after getting his game legs back.

Josh Anderson-London Knights(Lead Playoff Series 1-0)Final Regular Season Stats 68GP 23-26-49 +10 77PIMPlayoff Stats 1GP 1-0-1 +1 0PIM
Josh and the Knights closed out the regular season on Sunday with a game against the Sudbury Wolves. Since it was the season finale, the Hunters decided to rest the Knight’s biggest guns including five of their top seven scorers. Josh did play in the game and according to the lineups my Knight sources tweeted, Josh was on the team’s top line and he did not disappoint -picking up two assists and being named third star. In the regular season Josh set career highs in goals, assists and points doubling his assist and point totals and just missing on goals. Josh had 13 multi-point games including three multi-goal games and four games with multiple assists. Josh and the Knights opened the playoffs against Saginaw with the Knights picking up a 5-2 victory with Josh scoring on a penalty shot.

Boone Jenner-Oshawa Generals(Lead Playoff Series 1-0)Final Regular Season Stats 56GP 45-37-82 +23 58PIMPlayoff Stats 1GP 1-0-1 E 4 PIM
The Generals played their final game of the season and Boone would sit it out in preparation for the playoffs. In the regular season Boone finished ninth in the OHL in scoring and third in goals. He also tied for first in first goals (goals that made it 1-0) with 11 and first in insurance goals with nine. Boone would pick up 26 multi-point games in the regular season including 13 multi goal games with one hat trick in that count. Friday in game one, Boone would be held scoreless in a 5-2 Generals win.

Gianluca Curcuruto-Plymouth Whalers(Lead Playoff Series 2-0)Final Regular Season Stats 67GP 9-38-47 +36 32PIMPlayoff Stats 2GP 1-0-1 +6 7PIM
Gianluca and the Whalers finished the regular season with a 4-0 win over Windsor with Gianluca picking up two assists in the win. Gianluca, like Josh, would put up career highs in every stat finishing 9th in OHL defensemen scoring. Game one for Plymouth was Gianluca’s first ever taste of the playoffs after playing for the bottom feeding Soo Greyhounds for the last two seasons. In the game one rout, with the Whalers leading 7-2, The Chin would score probably the prettiest goal of his career when he took a cross rink pass and after a spin o rama (yes you read that right) he’d drive to the net snapping a shot past the Sting’s goalie. In the 11-2 game Ginaluca would take exception to a big hit getting into the first fight of his OHL career, Ginaluca was a +5 in the win. In a 3-2 win Gianluca would be held scoreless.

Lukas Sedlak-Chicoutimi Sagueneens(Playoff Series is tied 1-1)Playoff Stats 2GP 1-2-3 E 6PIM
Lukas and the 12 seed Sags faced the 5 seed Quebec Remparts with Chicoutimi winning game one 6-3. Lukas picked up two assists winning 11 of 37 faceoffs. Game two would be all Remparts as they’d win 5-1 with Lukas scoring the Sags only goal winning eight of 19 faceoffs.

Kevin Lynch-Michigan(CCHA)Season Stats 39GP 10-17-27 44PIM
Kevin and his Michigan teammates were off to the Joe for the final CCHA championship. The Wolverines opened against the Miami Redhawks winning 6-2 with Kevin factoring in half of the goals for his first career three point game. In the second period, Kevin broke up a Hawks pass and started a two on one with Andrew Copp (BOBROVSKY! sorry habit) with Copp finishing it. Kevin’s second assist came 55 seconds into the third when Jon Merrill found Lynch in the corner. Kevin would get the puck to Alex Guptill in the slot for his 15th of the season. Kevin’s third assist was originally a goal but was later changed to an assist when he would deflect a Brennen Seville shot to a diving Guptill who’d cash in to make it 6-2. The Wolverines will face Notre Dame in the championship game needing a win to qualify for the NCAA tournament for the 23rd straight year.

TJ Tynan-Notre Dame(CCHA)Season Stats 39GP 10-17-27 28PIM
TJ and the Irish would also go to the Joe to face the Ohio State Buckeyes. In the third period with the game tied at one, the Irish went on the power play and TJ would strike for his 10th of the season. He’d curl from the blueline and fire a laser past Brady Hjelle to make it 2-1 Irish. TJ would also add an assist when Bryan Rust won a board battle and got the puck to TJ. TJ found Jeff Costello who’d shoot the puck from the center red line to seal the victory with his 10th of the season giving the Irish a 3-1 victory. As I said above, TJ and the Irish will face Michigan in the title game. Now everything I’ve seen says the Irish are going dancing no matter what happens but some are saying if they win they’ll be off to the Midwest Regional held in Toledo which I will be attending on Saturday.

Anton Forsberg-Sodertalje SKKval till Elitserien Stats 5GP 1-4 .904 2.82GAA
The Kval till Elitserien (qualification for Swedish Elite League, basically) has been a rough go for Anton and SSK with the team sitting in last place after five games of the 12 game series. SSK would go 1-2 last week with Anton making 31 saves in a loss to Timra on Tuesday. They bounced back with a win on Thursday against Vasteras and Anton made 31 saves in the 3-2 victory. On Saturday, Sodertalje would face Orebro hockey featuring this guy (I don’t know who he is, just think it’s funny to post). In the 3-2 loss, Anton made 24 saves.

There you have it folks! Another week in the world of the CBJ prospects. As for next week, the CHL playoffs will be through at least game 4 and we could know if any teams moved on already. We’ll also know which NCAA prospects will be playing in the tournament – Minnesota featuring prospects Seth Ambroz and Mike Reilly have been locks all season. So exciting times await!